Maintenance unit and liquid ejection device

Abstract

A maintenance unit includes a wiping section 55 configured to wipe the nozzle forming surface 25 of a liquid ejection section 22 in which nozzles for ejecting a first liquid are formed, and a mixed fluid spray section that sprays a mixed fluid of gas and a second liquid from a spray nozzle 93 to moisten the wiping section 55.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A maintenance unit comprising:
 a wiping section configured to wipe a nozzle forming surface of a liquid ejection section in which a nozzle that ejects a first liquid is formed and   a mixed fluid spray section that sprays a mixed fluid of gas and a second liquid from a spray nozzle to moisten the wiping section.   
     
     
         2 . The maintenance unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the wiping section is configured with a band-shaped absorbent member configured to absorb liquid,   a length of the absorbent member in a width direction is longer than a length of the nozzle forming surface in the width direction, and   the spray nozzle is movable in the width direction.   
     
     
         3 . The maintenance unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the spray nozzle is movable between a first position for moistening the wiping section and a second position for spraying the mixed fluid at the nozzle forming surface.   
     
     
         4 . The maintenance unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 assuming that the spray nozzle is a first spray nozzle, the mixed fluid spray section has a second spray nozzle configured to spray the mixed fluid onto the nozzle forming surface.   
     
     
         5 . The maintenance unit according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the mixed fluid spray section has a switching section that enables switching between spraying of the mixed fluid from the first spray nozzle and spraying of the mixed fluid from the second spray nozzle.   
     
     
         6 . The maintenance unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sub-tank configured to store the second liquid supplied from a main tank that stores the second liquid.   
     
     
         7 . The maintenance unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the gas is compressed air.   
     
     
         8 . A liquid ejection device comprising:
 a liquid ejection section that has a nozzle forming surface in which a nozzle that ejects a first liquid is formed and   the maintenance unit according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         9 . The liquid ejection device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the mixed fluid spray section has an introduction section that is connectable to a lead out section configured to lead out compressed air as the gas.   
     
     
         10 . The liquid ejection device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the liquid ejection section is movable in a scanning direction,   the mixed fluid spray section and the wiping section are provided side by side in the scanning direction, and   the mixed fluid spray section sprays the mixed fluid in a direction that includes a component facing the scanning direction.   
     
     
         11 . The liquid ejection device according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a cleaning section configured to perform suction cleaning of the liquid ejection section by sucking the first liquid from the liquid ejection section, wherein   in the scanning direction, the mixed fluid spray section is arranged between the cleaning section and the wiping section.   
     
     
         12 . The liquid ejection device according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a pressurizing section that pressurizes inside the liquid ejection section to discharge the first liquid from the liquid ejection section and   a liquid receiving section that receives the first liquid discharged from the liquid ejection section by the pressure applied by the pressurizing section, wherein   in the scanning direction, the liquid receiving section is arranged downstream of the wiping section.   
     
     
         13 . The liquid ejection device according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a liquid receiving section that receives the first liquid ejected as a dummy ejection from the liquid ejection section, wherein   in the scanning direction, the wiping section is arranged between the cleaning section and the liquid receiving section.   
     
     
         14 . The liquid ejection device according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a pressurizing section that pressurizes inside the liquid ejection section to discharge the first liquid from the liquid ejection section, wherein   the liquid receiving section is configured to receive the first liquid discharged from the liquid ejection section by the pressure applied by the pressurizing section.